Dictionary and Thesaurus/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim & Moby. Tim is working on a crossword while Moby watches. TIM: What's a seven-letter word for "trip"? MOBY: Beep. Moby shrugs. TIM: Okay, um...do you know a nine-letter word for "height"? MOBY: Beep. Moby shrugs again. TIM: An eight-letter word for "fight"? MOBY: Beep. Moby shrugs even more. TIM: How about a four-letter word for "an orange robot who doesn’t know very much"? "Dear Tim and Moby, What do people use dictionaries for? And what’s a thesaurus? Thanks, Angela." Hey, let's start with dictionaries. (an image of a dictionary is shown) People use a dictionary for a lot of different reasons: to figure out the spelling of words, to find out where a word comes from, or to learn how a word is used. But usually, you pull out a dictionary to figure out what a word means. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, a dictionary is any list of words with their definitions. (A page inside the dictionary is shown. Words between "marshmallow" and "mazurka" are displayed alphabetically on the page.) The words are listed in alphabetical order, so using a dictionary is pretty simple. To help find your way around, there are two guide words at the top of every page. Those tell you the first and last word on the page you're looking at. So if the word you're looking for doesn't fall between those two alphabetically, then you’ve got to keep looking. (searches) Neutron...owl...quicksand-- here it is! (reveals to be "robot" and follows the definition: ro·bot (ro b t), n., pl . -s , 1. a machine that looks like a human and can be programmed to perform complicated tasks. 2. a machine that resembles a human and can perform some tasks like a human. 3. a person who behaves mechanically and without emotion. 4. South Africa, automatic traffic light (informal) from robota meaning compulsory labor, first used by Karel Capek in his play 'Rossum's Universal Robots', 1920) When you find your word, you'll find a lot more than just the definition. First, you'll see dots in the middle of the word that tell you how to split the word up into its syllables, or single sounds. You'll also see a bunch of funny-looking symbols that tell you how to pronounce the word as long as you know what those symbols mean! And the entry will tell you what part of speech the word is, like "n" for "noun" or "v" for "verb" plus how to form the plural. Robots. Finally, you get the definitions. MOBY: Beep? (The scene switches to the dictionary.) TIM: Yeah, a lot of times there are more than one. The definitions are usually put in order of how common they are. So, the most common definition for "robot" is "a machine that looks like a human and can be programmed to perform complicated tasks." MOBY: Beep! TIM: It doesn't matter if you don't agree; that's what the dictionary says. (The scene switches to the dictionary again.) Anyway, the least common definition is "South Africa, automatic traffic light (informal).". The italicized words tell you that calling traffic lights "robots" is only done in South Africa, and only when you're talking informally, like with your friends. Some dictionaries will also tell you where the words come from. (The scene switches to the dictionary once again.) Hey, it says here that "robot" was actually made up by a Czech playwright from a word meaning "forced labor". MOBY: Beep! TIM: Uh, I don't think "robot" is meant to be an insult. But we could check a thesaurus if you want to find a different word. (The scene reveals to be the thesaurus.) Like a dictionary, a thesaurus is a list of words, but it doesn't have definitions. (A thesaurus follows the entry: 123. pungent (adj.) strong, high-flavored, full-flavored, highly-seasoned, racy, piquant, biting. 124. condiment (n.) flavoring, sauce, seasoning, garnish, pickle, chutney, relish, appetizer. 125. savoriness (n.) tastiness, palatability, delectability, relish, zest. 126. be savory (v.) taste good, tickle the appetite, tempt the pallette, be darn tasty.) Instead, it'll give you the part of speech and a list of similar, related terms for every word you look up. Thesauruses are a really good way to learn new words and improve your writing. (The table of contents reveal the entries: • Table of contents o Class • Abstract o Section with page numbers • A. Existence: 1-10 • B. Relation: 11-28 • C. Quantity: 29-53 • D. Order: 54-92 • E. Number: 93-115 • F. Time: 116-132 • G. Change: 133-150) Most are ordered alphabetically, just like a dictionary. But some are arranged by theme, which can be a little tricky. For example, "robot" might be found in two sections: the one about labor and the one about machines. (A thesaurus word for "robot" is shown and follows the complete entry: 381. robot (n.) automaton, android, drone, drudge, computer, clone, machine, mechanical device, puppet, labor-saving device, assembly unit.) Here it is. (searches again) "automaton, android, drone, drudge, computer, clone, machine, mechanical device, puppet--" MOBY: Beep! TIM: Yeah. I-I know you're not just a mechanical device. Since words in a thesaurus aren't always exact synonyms, it's a good idea to go back to your dictionary if you're unsure about something. But with a dictionary and a thesaurus, you should be able to tackle any sort of writing! Moby picks up the dictionary and whites out the entry on robots. Using a pencil, Moby writes: "1. Something that is superior to humans in every way. 2. The best kind of machine ever invented." Moby finishes whiting the entry on robots & closes the dictionary. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP English Transcripts